Gabrielle: Warrior Princess
by Xena
Summary: Okay, I haven't seen Friend In Need Part 2 yet, but unfortunately, I read the spoilers, and I'm really pissed off at myself. So, I decided to write a story because I know what happens now. So, if you don't want to be spoiled, don't read this. MAJOR SPO
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Don't sue me. They belong to the creators of Xena Warrior Princess, Renaissance Pictures, and USA Studios.  
  
Author's Note: Okay, I haven't seen Friend In Need Part 2 yet, but unfortunately, I read the spoilers, and I'm really pissed off at myself. So, I decided to write a story because I know what happens now. So, if you don't want to be spoiled, DON'T read this. I'm writing about what happens after the finale, although, we won't know because there isn't a Season 7. (Much bitterness there.) Thank you.   
  
  
Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 1  
  
The rain, which had poured down heavily on the fertile lands of Greece, had subsided. The Warrior Princess walked along side her trusty horse, Argo II. Gabrielle rode on her horse writing on her scroll about the past day's events. The warrior princess was humming a soft tune to her horse, and the bard enjoyed listening.  
Xena smiled softly as she sang, and she looked up every once in awhile at her friend to make sure she was awake.   
Gabrielle smiled down at her friend and she remembered the past few years with her friend. Well, it'd been more years than she knew because of the ice cave incident.   
Xena ran ahead and did a playful flip into the air with her all might "Yiyiyiyiyi!" Gabrielle laughed as she watched her friend having fun.   
  
  
The storm woke Gabrielle. She sat up quickly in the cave and was breathing heavily. She looked to her side for her friend, and remembered. Xena was gone. Gabrielle closed her eyes for a moment, and her breathing calmed. She reached for HER chakram and knew now that she was dreaming everything about the horses and the flips. She sighed.  
"Xena, I miss you. How can I go on? You were my life. My best friend in the entire world. I love you Xena." Gabrielle whispered. She sobbed softly, her arms over her knees, her face buried in her arms. Xena was dead, not even Gabrielle could change that now.  



	2. Chapter 2

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 2  
  
Gabrielle couldn't get back to sleep, and stayed up all night looking into the fire. She got ready early, putting on her brand new outfit. She now sported an outfit exactly like her last, the outfit with all of the red, the satiny red skirt. But, this outfit, instead of red, was black. She had sliver armor, her boots carried her sais, she carried a breast dagger, a sword, a whip, and the chakram.   
Gabrielle loaded up her brand new horse who was black as night, and ironically named Midnight. Argo II was grazing, and Gabrielle knew that she was very sad. She was about to take Argo II out to pasture. The horse was young, she could still bear colts, and Gabrielle wanted Argo II to be free. Xena wouldn't want her horse to be sad.  
"Well, Argo, this is it girl." Gabrielle spoke, patting down the horse and removing the reins and saddle. The horse whinnied. "I know you miss Xena. So do I, but you're free, and you'll run wild. Never let anyone else ride you. Xena wouldn't want you to belong to anyone else but me." She patted the horse's back, and Argo II trotted off as Gabrielle watched on.  
  
Gabrielle felt guilt, sadness, worry, and fear pass over her. She didn't know what to do now. She sat down in the open field and closed her eyes. She felt the wind rush past her furiously. She clasped her hands together.  
"Xena." She said. "Xena, I need to talk to you." As she said that, her friend's spirit appeared.   
"I'm here Gabrielle." Xena said. Gabrielle opened her eyes and found the warrior princess smiling at her. She was no longer clad in her leather and armor. She had a white dress on and she was sporting a brand new pair of wings.  
"Xena, I miss you." Gabrielle declared.   
"I miss you too." Xena said. "But, I know that you're doing a great job."  
"What do you mean?" Gabrielle asked.  
"You may not know it, but you will now. Gabrielle, you're the new warrior princess."  



	3. Chapter 3

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 3  
  
"What?" Gabrielle asked. Xena smiled again, her wings folded behind her back.  
"You're the new warrior princess." Xena replied. Before me, there had to have been warrior princesses. You take my place now. Only if you want to."  
"Xena, I want to make you proud." Gabrielle declared.  
"I've been proud of you for years." Xena said. "I'm sorry I didn't show it much."  
"Xena, you will always be remembered. I will honor your name, your title, your legacy." Gabrielle declared. In an instant, Xena was gone, and Gabrielle sat alone in the field, her horse grazing nearby.  
  
"I sing of Xena, brave warrior princess. Her mighty slaughters gave her the name, destroyer of nations, her courage, bravery, friendship, and compassion gave her the title warrior princess, most of all, friend, mother, soulmate." Gabrielle scribed. She felt weak, sick. Her stomach lurched heavily. She fell to her knees and vomited. She hadn't vomited since she'd seen Xena's headless, naked, corpse strung up, arrows stuck in her.  
Gabrielle was remembering the feeling of wrapping Xena up and taking her to the pyre, burning her best friend with the hope she'd come back to her. But things went terribly wrong, and now Xena could never come back.  
A few more days passed, and Gabrielle had been by herself for a while. She'd seen no one. Nobody seemed to be around these days. Gabrielle finally spotted a village up a few miles.   
"Midnight, yah!" Gabrielle exclaimed. Midnight galloped up to the village, and Gabrielle put her in a stable.  
  
  
In heaven, Xena faced Eli. She smiled at him, he smiled at her.   
"Eli. It's been awhile." She said.  
"Yes Xena. Heaven is lucky to have you. Your soul was in terrible danger. But you're here now." Eli said.  
"When am I to be reincarnated?" Xena asked.   
"When your time comes. Gabrielle . . ." Eli started.  
"What about Gabrielle?" Xena asked.  
"I've said too much." Eli said. "Now, go Xena, there is much preparation to be done before you are reincarnated. First, you must choose which body you will be born into. You must decide. You will be born to a mother. Your soul will be in that child, now you just have to choose."  
"I understand." Xena said. She knew exactly who her mother would be. She knew who she was going to be. The child had not been created yet. Xena knew it'd been done once, she just had to do it this time. She had to wait.  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Gabrielle Warrior Princess  
Chapter 4  
  
Gabrielle slept in a bed that night. She slept, staring up at the ceiling. She smiled, thinking of her times with Xena.  
  
"Hey, I saved your life!" she exclaimed. Xena sighed and brought Gabrielle up onto her horse for the first time.  
  
"Don't free Prometheus." Gabrielle warned Xena. Xena gave her a small smile and hugged her tightly.  
  
"I'm sorry for all the times I didn't treat you right." Xena said.  
  
"I wish I would've read your scrolls just once." Xena cried. Gabrielle smiled bravely down at her friend.  
"You would've liked them."  
  
"Gabrielle." Xena said. "You're the best thing in my life."  
  
"I love you Xena." Gabrielle declared.   
  
  
Gabrielle felt tears run down her cheeks, leaving stains.   
"I know you're hurting Gabrielle." Said a voice from nowhere. Gabrielle didn't move.  
"Xena?" she asked. A bright light appeared and then Xena appeared. She kneeled next to Gabrielle's bed.  
"I know you're hurting, but I'll always be with you. Always." Xena said. "No matter what form I'm in." She gave a weak smile. "We're destined to be together forever, and that's how it'll be. I promise you." She reached out and touched Gabrielle's cheek. Gabrielle felt a surge of warmth and love go through her body. Xena smiled. She kissed her friend's cheek. "I love you Gabrielle."  
"I love you Xena." Gabrielle said with tears falling. "Always." Xena then disappeared, and Gabrielle sat there on her bed, her face in her hands, crying.   
  



	5. Chapter 5

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 5  
  
A week had passed since Gabrielle had last seen Xena. Gabrielle had stayed in that village for a whole week, not wanting to go face the world alone, but she knew Xena would always be inside her heart.   
Gabrielle saddled up Midnight and mounted him. She made sure her chakram, sword, sais, and breastdagger were in place.   
Over the last few days, Gabrielle also wondered how she was going to keep up writing her scrolls and be a warrior princess at the same time. That was a lot on her strong shoulders.   
Gabrielle rode off on her horse, heading through fields, streams, villages. She'd been traveling for quite a few hours, probably half-day, when she saw her. It was Eve. Eve had followers, as usual. But, the girl was crying. Gabrielle knew she'd found out. Gabrielle dismounted Midnight, and walked over to Eve.  
"Gabrielle?" Eve asked through her tears. Gabrielle nodded and hugged Xena's daughter. "She's dead."  
"I know." Gabrielle said.   
"I should be happy for her. She's with Eli now.""Yes." Gabrielle said. "She's happy."  
"You've spoken with her spirit?" Eve asked, wiping away her tears.  
"Yes. She's an angel now. A beautiful angel." Gabrielle declared, feeling as if she were explaining this to a five year old, but it was the truth, Xena really was an angel.  
"Isn't she to be reincarnated though? Why is she an angel?" Eve asked.  
"Well, Callisto was an angel when she was reincarnated." Gabrielle said. "I don't really know how it works."  
"What's this? My mother's chakram? Her breastdagger? Her sword?" Eve asked. Gabrielle nodded.  
"Xena told me that I am the new warrior princess. I'm honoring her memory. I'm going to try to keep writing, documenting the heroic life of the beautiful warrior princess. The way I see it, if she's still in my heart, there are still many adventures to come." Gabrielle declared.  
  
Later that night, after Gabrielle and Eve had parted, Gabrielle laid on her bedroll and looked up at the cosmos. She smiled, remembering the last peaceful time she had with Xena before they went to Higuchi.   
This was the exact spot they'd been. Gabrielle just stayed there, her eyes open, staring at the cosmos, her ears open, listening, just like Xena listened, her heart open, hoping she could see her friend again.   



	6. Chapter 6

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 6  
  
It'd been a month now, since Gabrielle had seen Xena. She now knew it was time to start being the warrior princess. She mounted her horse after she'd packed up her belongings, and she headed out to help people in need.   
The first ordeal she came to was a band of thugs robbing an old woman. Gabrielle sighed, thinking of all the evil, and how someone could treat an old, frail lady, like that. Gabrielle leaped off her horse and tackled one of the men, hitting him with a sai. She knocked him out cold, and drew the other sai, throwing them both, wiping out two men. She threw the chakram, getting rid of the other two.  
"Bless you, child." The woman said. Gabrielle hurried to the woman.   
"Are you okay?" she asked.  
"Yes. Please, accept this as a token of my gratitude." She said, holding out her purse with many dinars in it.  
"I don't want your money." Gabrielle said.  
"Well, what can I do for you?" she asked. Gabrielle smiled.  
"Build a memorial to Xena the Warrior Princess." Gabrielle declared.  
"Of course. Who are you?" the woman asked.  
"I'm Gabrielle." She said, walking off, mounting her horse, and riding off silently.  
  
Gabrielle felt dizzy. She'd just beaten up a group of thugs. The first time she'd done that without Xena close by. She sighed. She didn't feel well, and she wanted to throw up to feel better. She didn't know what to do.  
"Whoa." Gabrielle said to Midnight. She dismounted, ran forward, fell on her knees and got sick.  
  
Later that night, Gabrielle walked, holding her horse's reins and she saw him. It was Ares. She saw him, he looked like he'd been crying. She didn't know what to say to him, but she walked up to him.  
"Ares?" she asked.  
"Gabrielle." Ares said. He gave her this look that told her to go away, but she couldn't.  
"You heard huh?" she asked. She felt stupid for asking that.  
"Yeah." Ares said. "Of course I heard. I loved her. She was my life."  
"I know how you feel." Gabrielle declared.  
"You're taking her place?" Ares asked angrily. Gabrielle looked at Xena's sword and Xena's chakram, that she was now carrying.  
"I'm not taking anyone's place. I'm honoring her memory." Gabrielle explained.  
"You could've brought her back, Gabrielle." Ares said. "You could've. There's nothing left. Her son can't be a warrior, he's dead. Her daughter can't be a warrior, she's to goody-goody now, and on the path of peace. There will never be a son or a daughter to take her place of strength in battle. Not even you."  
"I agree. I know I'll never be as good a warrior as Xena. But, I can try so I can live to tell my children and grandchildren about my best friend." Gabrielle defended.  
"Children and grandchildren?" Ares asked. "Tell me this Gabrielle, when are you going to have time to have a family? You're going to walk in Xena's shadow the rest of your life? You couldn't handle motherhood and being a warrior. Only Xena could." He then disappeared, leaving Gabrielle to think about what the war god had just said.  



	7. Chapter 7

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 7  
  
It had been a season since Gabrielle had seen Xena's soul. Three long months. Gabrielle had went to a healer who tried to tell her she was to be bedridden, but Gabrielle didn't listen. She kept going, even though she felt weak, and she felt sick, she trudged on to the Amazon Lands.  
She was surprised to find that Cyane, the queen when she last left, was still there. She was worried for awhile that the girl wouldn't stay for long.   
"Gabrielle!" said a young amazon girl. Cyane looked up and smiled. Gabrielle didn't recognize hardly any of the girls.  
"Hi!" Gabrielle exclaimed as she hugged Cyane.   
"Gabrielle, this is Eris, Matika, Vesca, Crya, and Marisa." Cyane explained. "They're our new girls. Girls, this was our previous queen."  
"Hello." The girls said in unison.  
"Hi." Gabrielle said.  
"Gabrielle, have you come to stay?" Cyane asked.  
"No. No. Um . . .you haven't changed! It's been what? Almost 27 years?" Gabrielle asked.  
"Yeah. You haven't either! It's been a long time. I left for awhile, but I came back, and I'm doing okay, I suppose." Cyane explained. "You look well. You must be happy with this new little one on the way."  
"Excuse me?" Gabrielle asked.  
"Well, you're pregnant, aren't you?" Cyane asked.  
"No." Gabrielle said, unsure of things these days.  
"Well, I'm sorry Gabrielle, but it's just that, well, you look like you could be pregnant." Cyane explained. "Anyway, won't you please join us for dinner?"  
"I wish I could, but I have to go in a few minutes. I just dropped by to say hello, and to tell you that . . ." Gabrielle started as she choked up. "Xena's dead."  
"Yes. We heard. I'm so sorry Gabrielle. I know she meant a lot to you."  
"Yes. She did." Gabrielle said.  
  
  
"It's time." Xena said as she looked down on her friend from Heaven. She smiled softly and disappeared down on the earth, hoping her friend would be okay, happy, and healthy.  
By this time, Gabrielle had left the amazons, and she was traveling south on her horse. She was heading to India to find any more worshipers of Eli.  
"Gabrielle." Xena said as she appeared in front of Midnight. Gabrielle immediately dismounted the horse, and stood in front of her friend.  
"Xena." Gabrielle said with a smile. "What's going on? Is there something I don't know about?"  
"Yes. There is." Xena said.   
"What? A burning village, a band of thugs, a war?" Gabrielle asked.  
"No. No. Nothing like that." Xena said with a soft smile.  
"What is it then?" Gabrielle asked.  
"You've been denying it for a while now. The fact that you are carrying a child. It's true Gabrielle." Xena said.  
"I'm pregnant?" Gabrielle asked.  
"Yes. You are." Xena said. "I gave you this child a season ago. I did because I knew that my time to be reincarnated was nearing. So, I knew that you and I are on the same path, we are to be together for eternity. We're best friends Gabrielle, and best friends are teachers. Mothers are teachers. You've taught me, I've taught you, I want nothing more than for you to teach me what you know in my next life."   
"Xena." Gabrielle said with a sob. "I'll never see you again. Your blue eyes, your dark hair. Xena you're who I want to see. You're my friend, my soulmate."  
"I know that." Xena said. "Forever. Maybe, one day, you'll find a decent man to help raise me to be a warrior like you, or whatever you want me to be. I must depart now."  
"I'm going to miss you." Gabrielle said. "So much." Tears rolled down her cheeks.  
"Don't worry. Every time you start to miss me, just look at the little child that you will bare. I'm his or her soul. I'll be there." Xena said. Gabrielle nodded. Xena touched Gabrielle's stomach softly, and her image disappeared inside of Gabrielle's tummy.  
  
Later that evening, Gabrielle was walking, holding Midnight's reins. It was near sundown, and Gabrielle figured she'd better set up camp.  
"Come on Midnight." Gabrielle said to her horse. She hitched the horse to a post and set out her bedroll. She now had armor covering her belly. It came down from the breastplate, and it ended at the top of the skirt. She was going to do everything in her power to protect her child, to protect Xena's soul.  



	8. Chapter 8

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 8  
  
That night, Gabrielle had realized that she had to do as much good as she could in the world in order to protect this unborn child from the evils of the world.  
She sat at the campfire, writing in a scroll, thinking about the day's events. She smiled as she remembered Xena's face, Xena's soul.   
Out of the bushes came a man. He stumbled to Gabrielle. His blood spilling from his mouth.  
"Help me." he gasped. Gabrielle put her scroll and quill away quickly and helped the dying man.   
"What happened?" she asked. She knelt down and put the man's head in her hands. He looked at her with tears in his eyes.  
"We need the warrior princess." He said.  
"You've found her." Gabrielle said.  
"You're Xena?" he asked.  
"No. I'm Gabrielle. Tell me what's wrong." Gabrielle said.  
"A great warrioress . . .killed many . . .help us . . ." the man choked out. "Amphipolis."  
"Who is this warrioress?" Gabrielle asked.  
"Her name is Lysia." The man said. Gabrielle was confuesed.  
"Who is Lysia?" Gabrielle asked.  
"Xena's sister." The man said with his last breaths.  
  
  
In Amphipolis, Lysia burnt another house to the ground, hearing the screaming family inside as they slowly burnt to death. She let out a shrill laugh as she heard children screaming for their mothers, seeing them burn.  
"Hear this!" Lysia exclaimed, making her warriors throw the weak to the ground at her mercy. "I will not stop until I burn down everything in this village. The village that I was born in, the village my mother gave me up in. The village I never saw until now."  
"Who are you?" an old woman asked.  
"My name is Lysia. Daughter of Cyrene, sister of Xena." Lysia said. With that, she killed the old woman and every person near her. She grinned with delight, feeling revenge fill her veins. She was finally paying back the little village that she wasn't wanted in.   



	9. Chapter 9

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 9  
  
Gabrielle rode hard on Midnight to get to Amphipolis. Luckily, she got there in a matter of hours because she was riding fast and furious.  
She saw the smoke, the villagers running about, the warriors running through, killing the innocent. Gabrielle was enraged. She took the chakram in her hand and threw it from the top of the hill. It went down into the village and took out four warriors. It came back to Gabrielle, and she dismounted, running full force, hoping the baby was okay. She took out two men with her sword, she threw her sais a two men, killing them. She put her sais back in her boots, and went about killing the warriors.   
All the while, Lysia watched from the top of a burning building. When she saw all of her warriors were dead, she flipped off of the building to face a stunned Gabrielle. All was silent except for a few screaming villagers.   
"You." Gabrielle said, holding the point of the sword to Lysia's chest. "You evil bitch."  
"Oh, why thank you." Lysia said with a sarcastic smirk.   
"You're Xena's sister." She said.  
"Yeah. The daughter Cyrene didn't want. See, I was born after Xena. I was the second daughter born to Cyrene. She just didn't want me. She didn't love me." Lysia declared.  
"I'm sure that's not true." Gabrielle said.  
"You don't know one thing about me." Lysia said.  
"I know that you are Xena's sister, you don't look like her, but I know you are her sister. That same fire in your eyes." Gabrielle said.  
"Well, my sister is dead. Now, I get to take revenge on this stupid village." Lysia said. "I was born when Xena was in the ice cave. People didn't believe my mother could have another child, but she was pregnant by one of the local warriors. He took advantage of her, and she ended up giving birth to me. When she learned of Xena's "death", trying to protect her own daughter, she went crazy and gave me away. I've been spending about 10 years now, hiding and waiting for Xena to die."  
"That's . . ." Gabrielle started. "Look, I don't want to have to kill you. You're my best friend's sister."  
"Well, then that makes it easier for me to kill you." Lysia explained.  
Gabrielle jumped forward, giving Lysia a swift kick to the right shoulder, making the woman stumble backward. She brought her left arm in, giving Lysia a punch to the right eye. The girl fell backward. Lysia then stood, running for Gabrielle. Gabrielle had to react quickly. She jumped high into the air, bending her left leg in and kicking her left leg out. She did a spin and kicked the girl to the ground once again. She stood over her, she crouched down, she pulled the chakram and held it to the girl's neck.   
"You're nothing like your sister." Gabrielle said.  
"Pity. I've always wanted to be like her." The girl said sarcastically.   
"I'm not going to kill you." Gabrielle declared. "You're going to prison." She searched around for some rope, and quickly turned Lysia over. She tied her arms and wrists with rope and made her march forward to the last building standing in Amphipolis. The village jail. She would await trial, and then go to prison. But Gabrielle had a feeling that this was only the beginning of a long battle with Lysia.  



	10. Chapter 10

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 10  
  
Another season had passed, and Gabrielle found her self six months pregnant. In one more season, she was going to be a mother. She walked alongside Midnight, rubbing the swollen belly that was protected behind the armor. She smiled.  
"You know little one," she spoke, "I'm always going to be here for you. You're always going to have me to lean on, and I won't let anything happen to you."   
Gabrielle was heading for Potedia to see her sister and Sarah. She wasn't sure if her niece would still be there, but she could always find out.  
She saw the familiar house, and she saw Lila out in the back pumping water from the well into a bucket.  
"Lila!" Gabrielle called, tying the horse's reins to a post and running over to her sister.  
"Gabrielle!" Lila exclaimed, setting the bucket down and hugging her sister.  
"You look wonderful." Gabrielle said with a smile. Lila touched her sister's belly.  
"So do you!" she exclaimed. "Who's the special someone?"  
"There's not a father." Gabrielle said.   
"Oh . . ." Lila said, then deciding to drop the subject before she got into an argument with her sister.  
"You heard about Xena didn't you?" Gabrielle asked.  
"Yes. I did. I'm really sorry Gabrielle. I know how much she meant to you."  
"She was my best friend." Gabrielle said. "She wanted me to take her place as warrior princess, and that's what I'm trying to do."  
"You?" Lila asked. "Wow."  
"Yeah. That's what I thought." Gabrielle declared. "Now, I found myself with child, and I'm doing everything I can to make the world better for it."  
"Did you know I'm a grandma?" Lila asked.  
"Really?!" Gabrielle asked excitedly.  
"Yeah!" Lila exclaimed. "Sarah came home after you freed her from Gurkhan, and she eventually got used to Potedia, and she met a wonderful man named Telamos, and they had a daughter just last season."  
"That's great! I'm a great-aunt." Gabrielle said. "I'll have to stop by to see them sometime."  
"Well, they moved away just after the baby was born. They moved to Athens." Lila said sadly. "Telamos was called to war. Sarah is so worried about him, but he has to battle, and Sarah wanted to live close by, so she wouldn't miss him so much."  
"She must be going through hell." Gabrielle said.   
"Yeah." Lila said. She remembered Gabrielle's condition. "Well, you must be exhausted. Come on in." She led the way to the farmhouse, and Gabrielle walked in. She sat down at the table and took off her armor. She sat it on the floor with her chakram, sais, sword, and breast dagger. "Wow, you must be carrying an awful heavy load. Especially with that little one inside."  
"Yeah, but I'm getting used to it." Gabrielle said. She smiled and patted her cloth covered belly. The purple outfit that she was wearing had been folded and put into a saddle bag and now she wore a purple dress under her armor. It was much more comfortable, and it was big enough for her to grow into.   
"You should meet someone Gabrielle." Lila said. "Married life is amazing."  
"I could never marry. I'm not the type to be a housewife and wait on my husband, hand and foot. I'm just not that type of person. I'm more of a traveler, warrior, bard. If I do meet a man, I'll make sure that I am totally in love with him before settling down. I don't think I'll ever settle down. I'm carrying on the name of Xena, and that's a lot to carry."  
"Yes it is." Lila said. "You've got a heavy load on your shoulders."  
"I know, but I'm ready for anything. Xena taught me everything she knew. Even the pinch." Gabrielle declared.  
"Even the pinch?" Lila asked. "Wow!"  
"It's not easy at first. I'm still getting used to it." Gabrielle confessed.  
"I think you'll be a great mother. But, if you ever need a place to stay, I'm your sister. I'm here for you."  



	11. Chapter 11

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 11  
  
"The day that I finally knew that I was about to become a mother . . .no, no, no! It's terrible!" Gabrielle exclaimed, trying to write a new scroll. She couldn't get the words out right. She sighed and looked at Midnight. The horse was tethered to a post on this clear dark night. Gabrielle looked into the fire, and then down at her belly. "Can you help me? Of course not. You probably can't hear me."  
Gabrielle smiled softly and rubbed her belly. She laid back on her bedroll, put her scroll and quill to the side and stared up at the beautiful stars. The cosmos. She closed her eyes and the silence of the night lulled her into a sleep filled with dreams of her friendship with Xena.  
  
  
"It was just another village to conquer-- nothing out of the ordinary. The fire broke out-- and I don't know if it was one of my men or just an accident, but, there was a strong wind, and-- those flames just _swept_ through that town like a wave of death. But the people were huddled in their houses, 'cause they were afraid of my army. That was one time when my army was responsible for the death of women and children. And there was just a handful of survivors; obviously, Callisto was one of them."   
"You know, she'll do anything for revenge."   
"I don't blame her."   
"Uh-- I do. When will this end? Look at Melas. I know that he's a good man, but, this hate is making him an obsessed killer. Somebody has to say no to this lust for revenge."   
"That is so hard to do."   
"You did it! When your village was destroyed, you were-- infected with bloodlust. But you overcame it!" X: "I was lucky. I saw what I'd become, and I was able to turn around. But if something happened to Mother, or Hercules, or you-- I might do just the same."   
"No-- no look, you promise me. If something happens to me, you will not become a monster. There's only one way to end this cycle of hatred, and it's through love-- and forgiveness."   
"Don't you go changing, Gabrielle. I like you just the way you are. Go get some sleep."   
"No-- no, you promise me."   
"I promise. Go-- go on."   
  
  
  
X: "I'm so happy for you."   
G: "I'm gonna miss you-- so much."   
"Hey, it's not like we'll never see one another again. I'll visit you all the time."   
"You promise?"   
"I'll be knocking on your door so often, you'll be sick of me."   
"Hmm-- never."   
  
  
  
  
"You'll follow your heart-- and don't worry about me."   
"You're part of my heart."   
"Xena, do you remember what you told me when-- when Perdicus asked me to marry him? You said that seeing me happy would make you happy. I feel the same way."   
"Gabrielle, you've been so good for me. I don't think I would ever have let myself feel the way I feel now about Ulysses if it wasn't for you teaching me how to love."   
  
  
  
"Help me."   
"Hey. Hey. I'm here."   
"Xena."   
"Yes?"   
"You've got to take me with you-- teach me everything you know. You can't leave me here in Poteidaia. I wanna go with you. I've studied the stars-- spoken with philosophers-- and I have the gift of prophecy. I can be very valuable to you. Take me with you. I want so much to be like you."   
"And I want to be like you."   
  
  
  
"I made you leave the way of love. It was my fault."   
"I had a choice-- to do nothing or save my friend. I chose the way of friendship."   
"I'm sorry for all the times I didn't treat you right."   
"Xena-- you've brought out the best in me. Before I met you-- no one saw me for who I was. I felt-- invisible. But you saw all the things that I could be. You saved me, Xena."   
"I wish, um-- "   
"What?"  
"-- that I had 'a read your scrolls just once."   
"You would have liked them."   
"I know."  
  
"Gabrielle-- if I only had 30 seconds to live-- this is how I'd want to live them-- looking into your eyes."   
"Stop this. Stop it."   
"Always remember, I love you."   
"Why would you teach me this right now? I don't understand!"   
"There's nothing to understand. I just wanted you to know everything I know. Let's go. We got a battle to win."   
  
  
  
In the morning, Gabrielle awoke to the sound of hooves beating hard on the ground. She looked up to see that Midnight was spooked. She grabbed the chakram and stood. She waited in a silent stance.   
"Yah!" a man yelled. Gabrielle listened. She could hear a soft whistling. Her eyes grew wide and she reached out, catching an arrow in her hands, just before it hit her stomach. She did a flip into the air, knocking the man from his horse. She did the pinch on him.  
"You've got 30 seconds to tell me why you're here."  
"You . . ." he gasped. "You're the new warrior princess. You must die."  



	12. Chapter 12

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 12  
  
Gabrielle looked at the man and released the pinch.   
"Who sent you?" she asked.  
"I came on my own free will. I know you're taking the place of Xena. I know, and I'm going to stop you." The man said. Gabrielle punched him in the face, and made sure he was out cold before she packed up camp and left on Midnight.  
  
Later that afternoon, Gabrielle stopped by a stream of fresh water to bathe the horse, and to fill up on some water for the next few day's journey. She ran into an old friend.  
"Virgil. Hey." She said.   
"Hi Gabrielle." He said smiling. "You look beautiful."  
"Thank you. You look good too." Gabrielle said with a smile.  
"Thanks." Virgil said softly. "Um . . .hey, I'm really sorry about Xena."  
"I know." Gabrielle said with a nod. "So am I."  
"You're obviously taking good care of yourself." Virgil said looking at Gabrielle's belly. She blushed a bit.  
"Yeah. It's not been easy." Gabrielle said. Virgil nodded.   
"Hey, I ran into Eve a few months back." He said.  
"Did you?" Gabrielle asked.  
"Yeah. She said she had seen you a while ago. You were really upset. Then she told me about Xena's death. She's taking it really hard too." Virgil said. "I really did feel sorry for her. I know she's hurting. I know how it feels to lose a parent."  
"Yeah." Gabrielle said. "So, how's your mother?"  
"She's doing okay. My brothers and sisters are helping out as much as they possibly can. They're really trying to help her get through my father's death. They're trying to help each other too." Virgil said.  
"I understand what they're going through. It's terrible to lose someone you love."  
  
  
  
  



	13. Chapter 13

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 13  
  
Gabrielle was now three seasons pregnant, and she was to have her baby at anytime. She knew the time would be soon because she could feel a few mild pains in the small of her back from time to time. But she was going to push on until it was time to deliver.  
She reached Potedia, and her sister's house. She put Midnight in the barn, and knocked on the door to the house.  
"Lila?" she asked. Lila came to the door. She was wearing an apron, she was obviously baking something.  
"Hi Gabrielle!" Lila exclaimed.  
"Hey. Um . . .I was just stopping by 'cause . . ." Gabrielle started and winced as a contraction started up. Lila's eyes went wide.  
"Oh gods!" she exclaimed. "Come on in!" She helped her sister into the house, and to their old bedroom. Gabrielle's bed was still there.  
"My bed. It's still here." Gabrielle said softly.  
"Yeah. Sarah slept in it when she was a little girl." Lila said soft-heartedly. She helped her sister take off the armor. Lila put the armor, chakram, sword, sais, and breast dagger into a closet. She found Xena's whip inside of Gabrielle's coat. She put that away as well.  
"It's gonna be awhile." Gabrielle said breathing slowly.  
"I'm going to go get a midwife. I'll be back in an hour. Will you be okay?" Lila asked. Gabrielle nodded.   
"I'm okay. I'm fine. Go on." Gabrielle declared. Lila nodded, and hurried into town to get a midwife.  
Gabrielle, meanwhile, laid in bed, rubbing her belly, breathing in and out slowly and closing her eyes, thinking of when Xena had Eve.  
  
  
"Okay . . . do you . . . do you remember when Ephiny had her baby?" Gabrielle had asked. "Remember how you helped . . ." Xena looked at her menacingly.  
"Please be quiet. Just be quiet." She moaned. Xena had been in so much pain, moaning, screaming, wincing. On top of that, Zeus was just about to send a lightning bolt down on the child before it was fully born.  
  
"It's a little girl!" Xena exclaimed, tears in her eyes as she looked over her wonderful, beautiful baby girl.  
  
  
Gabrielle smiled, remembering that beautiful moment that her friend had shared with her. The moment when Eve was born into the world. The world was forever changed after that.  
A kick from the baby told Gabrielle time was approaching. She felt the urge to push now, and she felt underneath, knowing that it was time to push.   
A bit later, Lila entered the room with a young midwife. She had a bag and a blanket with her.  
"Hello. My name is Lidia, and I'm your midwife." The woman said.  
"I'm Gabrielle, and I'm in a lot of pain, and it's time for me to have this baby." Gabrielle said, obviously annoyed with the woman's perky attitude.  
"Okie dokie then." The woman said with a smile. "Let's just get this little bundle of joy delivered then, shall we." Gabrielle rolled her eyes and bore down. She pushed furiously for what seemed an eternity.  
"Is it coming?" Gabrielle asked with tears in her eyes as Lila held her sister's hand to support her.  
"It's coming. Your baby has a full head of dark black hair!" The woman exclaimed. "Its daddy must've had a heck of a head of hair on him."  
"The baby doesn't have a father." Gabrielle said.  
"You do know how this baby was created don't you?" Lidia asked.  
"Of course I do!" Gabrielle yelled. "Just not the normal way!" Lidia looked at Lila who just shrugged.   
  
A few minutes later, Lidia was pulling the baby out of Gabrielle and handing it to her.  
"It's a little girl!" Gabrielle exclaimed happily. The baby indeed had a full head of black hair, and her tiny eyes were that unique blue. "You definitely are Xena. Xena's soul."  
"Congratulations." Lidia said with a smile. She helped Gabrielle by cleaning her and the baby up. Lila was in the other room at this time, folding baby blankets, and making diapers.  
After Lidia left, Gabrielle sat in bed, cradling her naked baby in her arms. The baby was suckling at this moment. Gabrielle smiled as the little baby's fingers curled around one of her own fingers. Lila walked into the room carrying a blanket for the baby and a diaper. Gabrielle smiled. The baby was now finished suckling, and Gabrielle pulled the front of her dress back to cover her. She laid the baby down on the bed and took the diaper from Lila's hands. She put it around the baby, fixed it, and then proceeded to fasten it. She smiled at her baby who quickly fell asleep.  
"She's beautiful Gabrielle." Lila said.  
"I know. Thank you." Gabrielle said smiling at her wonderful baby girl.   
"I believe this was in Midnight's saddle bag." Lila said as she handed Gabrielle a little outfit. It consisted of a purple flower pattern outfit. It had a little hat for the baby, booties, and a dress, little tights to protect the baby's legs and go over the diaper. Gabrielle dressed her new daughter in this, and spent the rest of the night, admiring her new little beauty. She grinned widely and she knew now, she was a mother.  



	14. Chapter 14

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 14  
  
Gabrielle had been in Potedia for a week now, and she was ready to head out on the road again. Lila supplied her sister with four baby blankets and enough cloth diapers to last through the terrible two's.  
Gabrielle had bought a carrier for the baby much like the one Xena had for Eve. She put her baby, Grace, in it, and put her armor on. Her purple outfit with the skirt now fit her again, and she was proud that she could show off her stomach again. After her armor was on, she put in her breast dagger, sheathed her sword, put the whip in the saddle bag, put her Sais in her boots, and put the chakram on her belt loop. She yawned from lack of sleep and led Midnight out, knowing she wasn't quite ready to ride a horse. The baby's carrier, made of brown fur, just like Eve's, was hanging in front, not on the back on this morning. Grace was lying there, facing her mother. She was asleep and sucking on her thumb. Gabrielle knew it was almost time to stop to feed the baby.  
"So, Grace, are you enjoying your first adventure?" Gabrielle asked the baby. She looked down at her, and the baby was asleep and drooling all over her hand. "Yeah. Like you're gonna answer me." She sighed and continued to walk alongside the horse.   
She remembered when that reporter tried to get her and Xena to admit they were lovers. Gabrielle laughed softly remembering that. Just as they were about to tell the truth, the battery went out of the camera. Gabrielle furrowed her brow. Wait a minute. She didn't even know what a battery or a camera was. Anyway, Gabrielle and Xena both said later, at their campfire, that it was ridiculous to ask such a question. Then they decided that they knew if they were or not, but everyone else could think what they wanted to think, just to make them happy. Xena and Gabrielle sure did get a kick out of that one!  
  
Gabrielle sat out in the woods as she let Midnight graze in a nearby field. Gabrielle had removed her heavy weapons and armor just long enough to feed the baby. Now she was putting everything on. She changed the baby's diaper and took the carrier out. She put the baby inside and strapped the fur carrier on and left to find the horse.  
"Motherhood isn't easy, you know." Gabrielle said to her baby, knowing Xena's soul was listening inside of the baby. "Xena, you taught me to fight, you taught me everything to know, but motherhood, maternal instincts just came naturally in me. I know you think it sounds crazy, but I've known women who have absolutely no maternal instincts whatsoever. I'm just glad that I was around with you so long. You taught me so much. Thank you Xena. With that, a white Dove flew over as to say, "No, I thank you." Gabrielle smiled, knowing the story that Xena told her. She said Yakut told her. When a mother finally expects what she's about to be, the child sends her a message in the form of a white dove saying, "thank you." Gabrielle knew that this was just Xena telling her that she thanked her too. She smiled.  
"I believe you Xena. I know you'll always be there when I need you."  



	15. Chapter 15

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 15  
  
"Morning Grace." Gabrielle said to her now 2-week-old daughter. She smiled as the baby grunted reply. "Guess where we're going today? We're going to go see Eve. That's Xena's daughter. Yes we are." She smiled, talking in baby talk. Who'd have thunk? "You see, I sent word to her a long time ago, that Xena's soul was your soul. She said she wanted to see you immediately. After you were born, I sent word to Eve that you had black hair and blue eyes, just like Xena." The baby grunted in reply again.   
"So, looks like you got this mom thing down pretty good." Ares said appearing before Gabrielle. Gabrielle held her daughter protectively close.  
"Don't worry. I'm not here to hurt the baby." Ares said.  
"Then why are you here, Ares?" Gabrielle asked.  
"Well, seeing that you are the new warrior princess, and seeing how you were always more susceptible to fall to my side, I am here to make you an offer." Ares said.  
"You pig." Gabrielle declared. "I thought you loved Xena."  
"I do. I always will, but she's gone, and not even I can change that." Ares declared. "I need someone to be my warrior queen."  
"Well, I'm not your girl. My daughter's not your girl; nobody I love and care about will go to you. I can promise you that." Gabrielle said defensively. She walked off with Grace alongside Midnight, leaving a very pissed off God of War.  
  
Gabrielle had the baby strapped to her back at the moment while she practiced throwing the chakram. She was hitting a target. She'd throw the chakram and it'd hit the tree and come back to her. She'd continue that method, each time hitting that same mark.  
"Gabrielle." Eve said walking up to her. Gabrielle turned around and saw Eve. She smiled. She hugged her.  
"Hi Eve." Gabrielle said with a smile. She took the baby off her back and took her out of the carrier. She handed her to Eve. "Eve, this is Grace. Grace, this is Eve."  
"She is my mother's soul." Eve said. "Look at those blue eyes! That black hair!"  
"I know." Gabrielle said with a smile. "Xena told me she'd always be with me, even if she was in a different form."  
"That's beautiful." Eve said. "Gabrielle, this is one of the most beautiful little babies I've ever seen."  
"Thank you." Gabrielle said. Eve nodded. She sat down under that tree and Gabrielle followed. She sat next to Eve, and put the baby next to her on the grass.  
"So, how have you been?" Eve asked.  
"I'm doing pretty good. How about you?" Gabrielle asked.  
"I'm managing. It's still hard to believe she's gone." Eve said.  
"I know. Everytime I start to miss my friend, I look at baby Grace, and I know Xena's looking out for me." Gabrielle declared. Eve smiled and she nodded in understanding. "As long as I have Grace, I'm gonna be okay."  



	16. Chapter 16

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 16  
  
Grace was now a month old, and Gabrielle was recovering nicely. She was able to ride Midnight now without any pain. She was amazed by her daughter. The baby had such light in her ocean blue eyes, her hair was as black as midnight, and that smile. Every so often she'd give the sweetest smile.  
"So Grace, where shall we go today?" Gabrielle asked, carrying her daughter in her arms. Grace lifted one of her little arms as she slept, and it pointed west. "Okay, west it is." She smiled at her baby and continued onward.  
  
Gabrielle remembered when she first met Perdicus. She was only 14 years old when her father and his father had arranged their marriage. She was 16 when she met Xena, she hadn't yet married Perdicus.   
It was a warm summer solstice. The birds were singing, the breeze was blowing, the sun was shining. Such a perfect day for Gabrielle. She was walking a path near the Potedia lake, and she saw him. He was handsome, which she liked. On the other hand, she'd heard of him. He wasn't really all that interesting. Perdicus looked up from his fishing, and he smiled when he saw the daughter of Hecuba and Heradotus.  
"Hello Gabrielle." He said. Gabrielle smiled. Being 14 years old, she was quite interested in the looks.   
"Hello Perdicus." Gabrielle said softly. She walked over and sat down beside him. "We're to be married I see."  
"Yes." Perdicus said. "Our fathers have arranged it."  
"Well, I'm going to tell you now, I'm not the kind to stay around the house and cook and clean for you all day long. I want to be an adventuress."  
"Well, I guess . . ." Perdicus said. Gabrielle looked at him wickedly. She wasn't about to be tied down with a controlling husband.  



	17. Chapter 17

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 17  
  
Gabrielle shook the thought of Perdicus from her mind. It still hurt to think of him. She loved him dearly, and now he was gone. She felt as if everyone she loved left her. She didn't want to lose her friends, family, or her daughter.   
Gabrielle got atop Midnight with Grace, and she continued west. Grace sat in front of Gabrielle on the horse. Well, on the saddle, Gabrielle sat, and Grace laid in front of her. Her head resting against Gabrielle's stomach. She was in the fur carrier, and the carrier was strapped to Gabrielle, so the baby couldn't fall.  
It was about noon when the baby started crying. Gabrielle stopped to rest and let the horse graze while she fed and changed Grace. She sang that same little song to her that Xena sang to Eve.  
  
Hush now my little one  
Please don't you cry  
Lay your head down  
On my shoulder and sigh  
Sun's gone away  
And mama will pray  
Silence will keep  
All the while you're asleep  
  
The baby fell asleep to this song, and Gabrielle headed west again. She came upon a Amphipolis once again. The homes were being rebuilt, the grass was being re-grown, the town was becoming alive again. She was happy about that.  
"Can I help you ma'am?" a man asked from behind. Gabrielle turned around to face a very handsome man of about her age. He looked just like Iolaus.  
"Iolaus?" she asked. The man looked at her strangely.  
"You knew my father?" he asked.  
"You're not Iolaus?" she asked.  
"No. I'm Ian, son of Iolaus." Ian said.  
"Oh right . . . the ice cave thing." Gabrielle said.  
"What?" he asked.  
"Nevermind." Gabrielle said. "Yes, I know your father. He's a very wonderful man. He does a lot of good when he's with Hercules."  
"My father passed away a few years ago. He was killed in a simple fight. Hercules is still alive somewhere. I don't really know where. I could care less. I never really liked how my father ran off with his buddy everytime there was an emergency. He was never home for us."  
"That must've been so terrible for you, Ian." Gabrielle said. Ian shrugged, trying to get rid of the memory.  
"So, do you need some help?" he asked.  
"No. I'm okay." Gabrielle said, putting Midnight in a stable. "I just need to find a place to sleep for the night. The baby doesn't like spending ever night out in the woods."  
"Well, I have a place at the end of town. No charge." Ian offered with a smile. Gabrielle smiled and nodded.  
"Thank you." She said. He nodded and led Gabrielle and baby Grace to his home.  



	18. Chapter 18

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 18  
  
It was early morning when Gabrielle left Ian's home. She left a note thanking him for his hospitality, and she left him ten dinars. She picked up Grace and left the house silently. She went through town, got Midnight, and left.  
Later that afternoon, Ares appeared and looked sternly at Gabrielle.  
"What do you want?" Gabrielle asked.  
"What do I want?" Ares asked. "I want to take that child away from you."  
"What?" Gabrielle asked holding her baby close.  
"Come on. That baby is Xena. Xena's soul, Xena's features, she is Xena." Ares declared.  
"You're not taking her." Gabrielle said.  
"Oh, yes. She will be my warrior queen one day." Ares said. Gabrielle slapped him across the face.  
"Why aren't you the same as when you were mortal? You were halfway decent then. You are a pig." Gabrielle spat.   
"Ooh, I'm shaking in my gauntlets." Ares said. His eyes looked especially dark. This wasn't Ares.  
"Who are you?" Gabrielle asked.  
"Oh, it's me. Ares. I'm just finally taking what's mine. Xena is mine. I love her." Ares said.  
"You obviously don't. If you loved her, you'd leave her alone." Gabrielle scolded. "Grace is my daughter. She may have Xena's soul, but there is no way I'm ever gonna let you touch her."  
"You'll change your mind one day." Ares said with a grin. Gabrielle shook her head and sighed.  
"Just give up Ares." She said. He disappeared and Grace started to cry. "It's not always going to be like this." She soothed, half trying to make herself believe it. "Is it?" She hugged her baby close and rocked her to sleep. She didn't know what to do. The baby had to be okay. Or else, Gabrielle would have to kill Ares. She would do anything to protect her child.  



	19. Chapter 19

Gabrielle Warrior Princess  
Chapter 19  
  
Nearly three seasons passed, and today, was the first birthday of Grace.  
"Well, little lady, you've made it through your first year of life. It only gets better from here on out." Gabrielle said with a smile as she carried her daughter through the woods. She guided Midnight behind them.  
"Mama." Grace said. Gabrielle grinned and nodded.  
"That's right sweetheart." She said. She kissed the top of the baby's head. Grace wore the same outfit, only it'd been extended so it could fit her now. She was growing bigger by the week. She still wore her little hat. It hid the black hair that Grace had. Xena's hair color.  
"Gabrielle!" exclaimed a voice. It was Eve. Gabrielle turned around to face Eve, who was also holding a baby.  
"Hi Eve!" Gabrielle exclaimed, hugging her.  
"That's your baby? That's Grace?" she asked. "My, she's big!"  
"Yeah. I know." Gabrielle said with a smile. "It's her birthday today."  
"Well, happy birthday little lady." Eve said smiling. Grace gurgled in response. Gabrielle looked at Eve's child.  
"Is that your child?" she asked.  
"Yes." Eve said with a smile. "This is my son. I named him Xenos."  
"Xena would've liked that." Gabrielle said. Eve nodded.   
"He has her blue eyes." Eve said.  
"Yeah. He's beautiful." Gabrielle said.  
"So is Grace." Eve said.  
"Thank you." Gabrielle said with a smile. "So, how old is your son?"   
"He's a season. He was born three full moons ago." Eve declared. Gabrielle nodded. "Congratulations."  
"Thank you." Eve said. "Well, I better be on my way. I'm going to meet with the Amazons. I'm going to be a part of the tribe now. I am, afterall, an Amazon Princess."  
"What will you do with your son?" Gabrielle asked.  
"I'm going to talk to the Amazons. See if it's possible for them to make an exception. If not, I'm going to stay with my son." Eve declared. Gabrielle smiled. She nodded, and she walked on, leaving Eve to continue on her journey with her son.  
  
Later that evening, Gabrielle saw a familiar face. She saw this man, and she was embarrassed because she left without thanking him personally for his hospitality.  
"Ian." Gabrielle said. Ian turned around from his place at a fishing hole.  
"Gabrielle." Ian said. He smiled that Iolaus smile and walked over to her. "You look beautiful. Is this Grace?"  
"This is Grace." Gabrielle said proudly. "She's a year old today."  
"Wow." Ian said. "I was worried about you two when I never heard from you again."  
"I'm sorry about that." Gabrielle declared.  
"No, no, it's okay." Ian said. "Will you sit and talk with me for awhile?"  
"Of course." Gabrielle said with a smile. She sat down with Ian at the fishing hole as Grace sat silently in her arms.  



	20. Chapter 20

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 20  
  
"So, Gabrielle, how have you been?" Ian asked. Gabrielle sighed and looked at her baby daughter.  
"I'm doing better." She said. "Grace makes my life so much easier. She brings the fun and smiles and love into my life."  
"I bet she does. If she's anything like you." Ian declared. Gabrielle found herself actually blushing by this man's words.  
"Thank you." Was all Gabrielle could say. "Sometimes, though, I wish I could see my friend, you know, one last time."  
"I think everybody wishes that. I had a friend named Telamos . . ." Ian started.  
"You know Telamos?" Gabrielle asked. "He's in the war?"  
"Well . . ." Ian started.   
"He has a wife named Sarah and a daughter. A baby daughter." Gabrielle declared.  
"Yes." Ian said.  
"He's my brother-in-law." Gabrielle said with a smile. I've never met him."  
"I'm afraid you never will. Gabrielle, he and his family were killed last month in a fire caused by the enemy." Ian declared.  
"No." Gabrielle said. She shook her head. "He can't be dead. They can't be dead."  
"I'm sorry you had to find out like this." Ian said.  
"I have to tell Lila. I'm sorry Ian." Gabrielle said. She stood and with Grace, went over to Midnight, mounted, and headed for Potedia once again.  
  
Gabrielle had been traveling for about three hours, and Grace was asleep in her lap. Gabrielle had seen that familiar form, that familiar shape, that familiar man. She dismounted Midnight and with Grace, walked over to the man.  
"Hercules." She said. The man, who was getting a drink of water from a barrel, turned around. He looked just the same. Gabrielle figured he should look much older.  
"Gabrielle." Hercules said with a smile. "It's good to see you."  
"You too." Gabrielle said with a smile.  
"Is that your baby?" Hercules asked.  
"Yes. This is little Grace." Gabrielle said softly. "She's Xena."  
"What?" Hercules asked. Gabrielle looked around to make sure nobody was listening.  
"When Xena died, she reincarnated herself by giving me a child and becoming that child." Gabrielle explained. Hercules looked a bit skeptical. Gabrielle removed Grace's little hat, and showed him the jet black hair. "Have you ever seen a baby with these beautiful blue eyes and this dark black hair before?"  
"That is Xena." Hercules said with a smile as Gabrielle put the baby's hat back on.  
"I ran into Ian, Iolaus' son." Gabrielle said.  
"Oh?" Hercules asked.  
"Yeah, when I first saw him, he was very bitter about you and about Iolaus." Gabrielle declared.  
"Well, he should hate me." Hercules declared.  
"Why?" Gabrielle asked.  
"Because I killed Iolaus."  



	21. Chapter 21

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 21  
  
"You killed Iolaus?" Gabrielle asked in shock. Hercules nodded. "It was about fifteen years ago, Ian was only ten years old at the time. Ian had three brothers and two sisters. Ian was oldest. Then, there was Melos, Tharsis, Hercules, he'd named his third son after me, and the daughters, Laural and Samara."  
"He had a lot of children." Gabrielle said about Iolaus. Hercules nodded.  
"He loved children. Anyway, I was to go to Egypt to help out a friend from childhood. He was just married and needed help building his home. Iolaus wanted to go back to Egypt. He hadn't been there in so long, and he wasn't afraid because he knew the evil that had once killed him was gone. He went with me. It's my fault he's dead. I killed him with my own two hands."  
"How did you kill him?" Gabrielle asked, tears in her eyes. Hercules took a deep breath.  
"It was late. The sun was long set and there wasn't much torchlight to help guide our sight. I believe that Iolaus was pulling his sword to cut some ropes, but I though he was a thug, trying to kill me. I knocked him to the ground. I guess it was too hard, and he hit his head on a rock. He died instantly." Hercules had tears in his eyes.  
"That must've been so awful for you." Gabrielle declared. Hercules nodded.   
"Yeah, but I've been told to get over it. It's just, how do you get over killing your best friend?"  
  
Later that evening, Gabrielle was sitting in the woods, thinking about her conversation with Hercules. Grace was crawling around on Gabrielle's bedroll. Gabrielle would look down at her daughter, and her daughter would look back up at her and smile. Gabrielle would wave at her, and the baby would wave back.   
"I love you baby." Gabrielle said. She lay down in her bedroll and brought her baby girl inside with her and she fell asleep soon, Grace asleep in her arms.   
Gabrielle had no sooner gotten to sleep when Ares appeared. Gabrielle opened one eye and looked at the war god.   
"What do you want?" she grumbled.  
"To talk." Ares said. Gabrielle growled for a moment and then sat up in the bedroll, careful not to wake her daughter.  
"About what?" Gabrielle asked. Ares smiled for a moment.  
"About us."   



	22. Chapter 22

Gabrielle: Warrior Princess  
Chapter 22  
  
Gabrielle laughed for a few seconds.  
"Give me a break." She said. Ares sat down, a serious look upon his face. Gabrielle noticed this.   
"I'm serious." He said. "I love Xena with all of my heart, and I know that I'll never be with her. First of all, because of the fact that she's dead, and second of all because her soul is now in your daughter."  
"Yeah, so?" Gabrielle asked.  
"Look, I don't know how to tell you this, but I do care about you Gabrielle. Why do you think that I saved your life on Olympus?" Ares asked.  
"You said I was an after thought." Gabrielle said.  
"No I didn't." Ares defended.  
"Yes you did." Gabrielle said.  
"When?" Ares asked.  
"When we were sitting at your farmhouse before it rained." Gabrielle declared. Ares thought back to his mortal life.  
"Oh, you've got a point." He said. Gabrielle laughed again and laid down in her bedroll again. Ares disappeared, knowing that he was never going to get his warrior princess, or her friend.  
  
In the morning, Gabrielle and Grace were riding Midnight into Amphipolis. Grace was laughing and giggling all morning, and Gabrielle would listen to the baby's coos. She smiled when her baby would tilt her head up and look at her. Gabrielle would grin down at the baby, and the baby would wave a chubby little arm.  
"Mama!" Grace suddenly cried out. She started to cry. Gabrielle knew it was time for a diaper change.  
"All right sweetie." Gabrielle said. "We'll stop up here in the woods and get you changed." She rode out of Amphipolis and into the forest. She tied up Midnight and took the baby out into the middle of the woods. She cleaned the baby up and put her in a fresh diaper. The baby giggled when she was clean. "There's my good girl." Gabrielle declared as the baby clapped her hands together happily. Then, Gabrielle headed for Potedia to tell Lila the bad news about Sarah, Sarah's husband, and their daughter.  



	23. Chapter 23 and Epilogue

It was the next morning when Gabrielle reached Potedia with her daughter. She saw Lila outside weeding the garden. Gabrielle called to Lila.  
"Lila!" she called. Lila turned around and saw her sister and the baby. She smiled and waved. Gabrielle walked slowly over to her sister and gave her a hug.  
"Gabrielle, what's wrong? You look so serious." Lila said.  
"It's about Sarah and her husband . . . and their baby." Gabrielle declared.  
"What happened Gabrielle? You have to tell me." Lila said. Gabrielle nodded with tears in her eyes.  
"They were . . . they were killed in a fire. It was caused by the enemy." Gabrielle said, a tear rolling down her cheek. Lila started crying immediately.  
"My family!" exclaimed. "My daughter! My granddaughter! My son-in-law! I can't!" Gabrielle hugged her sister and baby Grace started to fuss. Lila pulled away.  
"I'm sorry I had to tell you." Gabrielle said. "I just couldn't let you sit around for years and think they were alive and well. I didn't want you to then find out and it'd ruin your life."  
"I understand Gabrielle." Lila said. "I'm going to Athens. I'm going to have a memorial built to them. I don't care how much it costs. It will be done." Lila stated. With that, she left with only the clothes on her back. Gabrielle didn't see her again after that. At least not for many years.  
  
Gabrielle decided to leave her sister's home and with her baby daughter, she headed out on the road.   
"So Grace, what do you say we do now?" Gabrielle asked. Grace grinned at her. "Come on Grace. Let's go to Amphipolis. You'll need to meet your aunt Lysia. That is if she's still in jail." Gabrielle decided that since she was now a full-time warrior princess, full-time mom, and full-time friend, she'd travel the world like Xena. She'd build memorials in her honor. Not shrines, because she knew Xena would hate that. But she wanted the warrior princess, Xena, to be remembered throughout history as a friend, a soulmate, and a mother.  
  
  
Epilogue:   
  
Gabrielle never settled down. She continued to travel the world. She raised Grace to be a beautiful warrior. She looked exactly like Xena. When Gabrielle died, she was re-born to Grace and was raised to be a warrior. She was named Reina. She looked just like Gabrielle. This cycle of mother-daughter relationship continued out for the rest of time.   
  
While Gabrielle was still raising Grace, Ares did finally seduce the new warrior princess. He got her to give him a child. A child which Gabrielle raised. A son named Liam.   
Ian was never saw from again, people say he went after Hercules after many years of held in frustration.  
As for Eve, well, she and Virgil got together and had a beautiful family. They had three daughters and two sons. All five of which had their grandmother's dark raven hair and ocean blue eyes.  
  
  
  



End file.
